NEDO and the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy of the Kingdom of Cambodia (MIME) agreed to carry out the Demonstrative Project on the Rice Husk Power Generation Systems Utilizing Energy and Environmental Technologies. Mr. Furukawa, Chairman of NEDO, and H.E. Suy Sem, Minister of MIME, concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on November 22, 2011 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Following the conclusion of the MOU, Mr. Furukawa met with Samdech Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia.
During the meeting, NEDO Chairman Furukawa stated NEDO's intention to focus its full efforts on the promotion of the project contributing to the further development of agricultural and energy policies of Cambodia. Prime Minister Hun Sen, in response, expressed his great expectations for the project and stated the intention to look into the possibility to widely promote the technology at the private-sector level upon successful completion of the project. The meeting, which was carried out in a friendly atmosphere, was concluded with affirmation of the importance of this project, which contributes to the sustainable development of Cambodia, to be implemented in close cooperation between both countries.
The objective of this project is to improve rice milling quality and supply electricity by using an environmentally-friendly, low-cost and compact-sized biomass power generation system, which includes an energy-efficient rice husk separator, at a rice milling plant in Cambodia's rural area. This project also aims to increase crop yields, including rice, by applying the biochar from rice husks, which have been used to generate electricity, as soil conditioner. The project will be carried out from FY2011 to FY2012.